Aug 20 Gillingham 1-0 AFC Bournemouth Att: 6568

Last updated : 25 August 2005 By Stephen Hunt
Not long after kick-off Hayter was clumsily brought down in the box, but there was no chance of a penalty. Even though we were playing a team of old men, we were still second-best and not the team that beat City the week before.

Pouton broke through after robbing Stock with a strong challenge, went past Howe with ease but instead of shooting he put the ball across goal and it came to nothing.

Soon after, Claridge thought he had scored but did not see the offside flag.

Spicer had a half chance and Fletcher should have done better with a header - that was the rare chances we had.

Then nearing the end of the half Howe was adjudged to have fouled on the edge of the box, although the ref was the only one to see it. Flynn stepped up to take the kick which hit Browning to send Moss the wrong way. 1-0 after 39 minutes.

The half ended with the better team in front.

HT: 1-0

Maher came off at half-time with an injury to his foot, and Gowling came on into a changed three-man defence.

We started the half a bit brighter than the first with Howe having a shot from a Stock corner. We didn't really look that dangerous, but a Stock free kick picked out O’Connor’s run only for Cox at full stretch to cut out the ball. As it bounced around two Gillingham defenders sat on the ball and to the amazement of everyone the ref gave them a free kick!

Jarvis had an effort saved by Moss. Jarvis again broke through and Howe seemed to bring him down when he was clear on goal, but the ref showed him a yellow card with should have been red.

We rarely threatened Gillingham. Dani tried hard when he replaced Fletcher, but the lack of service to front men from a crowded midfield did not help.

That's the way the game finished, 1-0. We really struggled down the wings, O’Connor looked lost out there, Surman was not noticed, Spicer is wasted out wide, Fletcher looked unfit and the less said about a poor ref the better.

Man Of The MatchIt was really hard to pick, as no-one stood out, but when he came on Gowling looked calm and as if he could do well for us, so he gets my vote.


AFCB: Moss, Young, Maher, Howe, O'Connor, Spicer, Stock, Browning, Surman, Fletcher, Hayter
Subs: Stewart, Cooper, Gowling (on for Maher, HT), Rodrigues (on for Fletcher, 56), Cooke (on for Surman, 65)


Stephen Hunt, Shaftesbury